


speed limits

by mediumbear



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Driving, First Kiss, M/M, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-03
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2020-07-30 08:04:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20093998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mediumbear/pseuds/mediumbear
Summary: Tatsuya's watching Alex's hand on the gear shift as they turn the corner. His silence as she drives him home is like a punishment after Taiga's non-stop chatter, his gaze burning like a laser beam. She grits her teeth and sighs."Fine, I'll let you practise with mine.""Thanks, Alex." He sounds genuinely grateful."Sure, so, if I catch you red-handed trying to break into another car you're out of excuses and we're gonna have a talk." She doesn't look at him but she knows he understands. "What're you trying to prove, anyway?"





	speed limits

The first time Tatsuya invites him for a drive comes on a fall afternoon. It's an unusual suggestion that takes Taiga by surprise fresh from the four-storey jog downstairs from Alex's apartment.

"In a car?" Taiga blinks in confusion. They've only ever driven their pushbikes before; the closest they’ve ever gotten to being on the road was when Tatsuya sat on a parked motorbike once and kicked out the stand and rev so efficiently that it set off the alarm, and they'd made a dash for it before its owner showed up. 

Despite it, he nods. "Yeah. Alex showed me how." 

"Whoa, really!"

Tatsuya throws a set of keys - her keys - in the air and catches them in front of his face. "She said I could if we needed it to get home."

Taiga pulls a face, their post-practice pizza feast suddenly heavy in his stomach. He’s used to seeing those keys spin around Alex’s fingers as she waits to deliver them to their respective parents after games or a training day; they’re a symbol of the end to a good day. An unstoppable force with all of her  _ I know what’s best for you and what’s best right now is getting some sleep _ authority as their coach.

Even though that’s not quite the case since this means he gets to spend just a little more time with Tatsuya, and he doesn’t exactly mind a change from the fifty-minute walk back to their neighbourhood -- plus Tatsuya's extremely capable of many things, and he figures he knows what he's doing or he wouldn't offer -- a little something holds Taiga back from showing his enthusiasm for the ride. 

Right, the law. A fourteen-year-old can't drive. It just adds to the list of things he gets told 'don't worry' about and shelves at the back of his mind in a different world; a side of their adolescence he thinks he's seen in teen movies and crime shows but doesn't quite recognise in front of his eyes yet and especially doesn’t  _ want  _ to notice in somebody so important to him.

"Don't worry," Tatsuya says, predictably flippant, "I'll drop you home and bring the car back to her." He reassures him, completely misreading his concern, and Taiga scratches his head.

"Well…" He hesitates, thinking of the keen police patrols around Alex’s neighbourhood, but as often happens in these on-the-fence situations he catches Tatsuya's hopeful expression with a glimmer in his eye and feels too dazzled to say no. Tatsuya knows a lot, after all. He wouldn’t offer if it was  _ that  _ wrong to do. He doesn’t try to get them in trouble.

"Sure, okay, Tatsuya. Maybe round the block from mine though."

"Yeah, good call." Tatsuya nods, clicking the key button to unlock the doors to the shiny family car yards down the street, and heads over to open it like he's done this a thousand times. Taiga hurries nearby, almost jumping into the back when he realises Tatsuya's in front  _ of course _ , so  _ naturally _ he'll sit with him, fumbling the passenger side door open in the thrill of seeing Tatsuya so eager.

Alex's car isn't stylish by any means even though she thinks it is, treats it like it is; it's spacious and glossy where she breaks her back at weekends lavishing it with love and polish, and on the inside it's two types of untidy. The two of them are used to old soggy fries stuck between the seats from the last time they hit up Micky D's. The front seats are a totally different world.

"Ew,  _ Alex _ ," Taiga wrinkles his nose when he finds a day-old Starbucks in the drinks holder and real ash in the ashtray, "I never see her leave this stuff behind!”

"That's why she doesn't let us up here, huh." Tatsuya looks hesitant to lay his hands on the sticky wheel.

"She's meant to be an adult…!"

Tatsuya laughs. It draws an irritated "What?" from Taiga in his despair as he tries to brush down the seat and check the fabric for further nasty surprises.

"You have a pretty neat idea of grown-ups, don't you?"

"Hunh?"

"Like that they're tidy because they're older, and stuff." Tatsuya drums his fingers on the steering-wheel. A recent growth spurt lets their size, his middling teenage height on the seat look natural. "They don't check your hygiene when you take the driving test, you know."

Taiga sniffs. He doesn’t think that, but when Tatsuya puts it like that he feels a little put on the spot between the frappuccino cup and a few stuffed wrappers in the side compartment. "I know  _ that, _ I'm just sayin'..."

"It's not that long until our turn either." 

Tatsuya's stretching his arms forward to test his grip on the wheel, then reaching to try to adjust his seat. He really does look like he fits in there, Taiga thinks.

"Only two more years and we can get it too." Tatsuya looks back at him with the ghost of a smile in his face, "A licence."

"Aren't you getting your practice in mega early, then?"

"No harm in it. Two years is no time at all."

Tatsuya makes it more real the more he says it. The thought of how close they really are to that milestone - getting a licence, then taking all those roadtrips they're always dreaming of - shuts him up pretty fast with his imagination whirring, and Tatsuya uses the silence to release the clutch and ease them away from the curb and onto the road. The dip of gravity happens a lot quicker than either of them are expecting and they’re both whipping a hand up at their chests to check their seatbelts are definitely secured -- not that Tatsuya’s inexperienced or Taiga has doubts, of course… But they catch one another’s glances in the moment of panic, and they share a laugh. The road here is empty of cars for now though the streets certainly aren’t quiet in the collection of apartment blocks down this metropolitan end of LA, so Tatsuya takes a deep breath and pulls onto the road.

“You okay?” Taiga asks.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I offered, remember?” His tone isn’t stressed, but it’s not his usual aloof shrug of a voice; more like his voice of concentration when he still hasn’t nailed a move on the court. It’s something Taiga quickly realises he hasn’t heard in a while, not since Alex judged their individual talents to be worth separate coaching, not since their first twenty matches out of a hundred before they’d found their groove. With that focus he adjusts the mirror a tad and simply drives.

There's something dizzying about the knowledge that the core power that's transporting him down familiar roads is Tatsuya himself; forget the chassis that separates him by mere feet from the scathing tarmac, the fossil fuels waiting so patiently to frazzle up in this powerful engine, it's only happening because of Tatsuya's guts and skill. For his stunned silence, Taiga can only think one thing: that Tatsuya is cool. Taiga would have never considered to even ask to try a supervised drive before hitting sixteen; Tatsuya, Tatsuya is fearless.

It feels strange to pin so much meaning on it when looking over at him, all he's really doing is sitting down and occasionally turning the wheel or depressing his foot. There's nothing to it, Taiga imagines, it's easy. Nothing to be scared of.

"Want the windows down?" Tatsuya says suddenly, glancing sidelong at Taiga, his good eye mercifully visible on the passenger side.

"Yeah, sure--"

But even that is all taken out of his control, both driver and passenger windows revving down from a flick of the master switch on Tatsuya's side. The breeze at their easy speed would probably feel amazing in August, but after a few moments it's a damper wind than Taiga anticipated, without the heart or knowledge of the non-child-friendly switch in the door to roll the window up again.

"Left here, right?" Tatsuya checks.

"Right." Taiga replies absently as he watches the route pass, so different from the dashboard even though he normally sits on this side in the back seat.

"Right?"

"Uhh--" Taiga whips his head around and sees their turn coming up fast, "No, uh, left."

Tatsuya doesn't swerve so much as hit left too fast to bother indicating, and aside from a panicked lurch that's localised to Taiga's stomach more than their bodies slouching sideways in their seats, it's all fine -- no honking traffic or sudden blare of police sirens. They’re fine. It’s fine, and they’re back on track. 

“Tatsuya?”

“Yeah?” Their pace is decent, but they’re starting to join slow-moving traffic.

“You remember the way, right, bro?”

“Sure, I just didn’t realise that turn was  _ there _ ,” he doesn’t look at Taiga, his mouth set in that same line of concentration, “Alex drives so much faster, I thought we’d already passed it.”

“It’s okay, Tatsuya, it’s your first time--”

“Or maybe I just don’t notice it when we’re in the back.” 

“Well-- maybe, yeah.” Taiga’s attempt at reassuring the most assured and cool person in the world falls flat and he fiddles in his seat, hands empty of a basketball this time since they’d started using Alex’s old NBA gear instead of their own. 

“Since I’m usually looking at you.”

Taiga looks up from his palms to Tatsuya’s unchanging expression, eyes on the road. He isn't sure what to say, since he figures they're  _ both _ always staring out of the window, but his heart jams in his throat.

"Uh--"

"Don't-- don't mind what I said. God, how does Alex talk endlessly when she's up here..." Tatsuya says quickly, curtly, and leans forward to check they're clear before another, much slower turn off the road, although it still manages to swing Taiga's stomach sideways. What had always appeared to be a simple route now feels riddled with traps, chances for someone to spot what they're doing and get them in trouble. And Tatsuya's ruffled, the biggest warning signal he can imagine; it feels like showing your hesitation in front of a dog, they can smell fear and Taiga's sure the rest of this tough grown-up world sees the two of them as no more than prey to leap on at the slightest show of self-doubt. That's something Tatsuya's always said to him -  _ it's a battle of the minds, don't show them what you're thinking _ .

Even if that, then, was about basketball, he can't help but feel that Tatsuya wraps that way of thinking around himself like a thick cloak whenever they brace any kind of conflict, come up against any adult authority other than Alex.

He doesn't want to get out of the car, but he does want Tatsuya to go back to his relaxed self. At least when he gets mad or this frustrated on the court there isn't a ton or two of hard metal in the equation.

"You always sit on that side in the back, too," Taiga tries to put them back on track, the road turning busier but easier with a few minutes' straight long stretch ahead of them, "Never the other way 'round."

"Yeah, so Alex can keep an eye on me." 

"H-Huh, really?"

Tatsuya reaches up to tap at the rear-view mirror that's angled behind him. Taiga's frowning in doubt, and the small possibility that Tatsuya needs to be supervised even now, but Tatsuya smiles at him.

"Just kidding. It's just habit."

"Y-Yeah, it's not like you do anything weird." he babbles.

"There's not enough room back there anyway."

Taiga can't really piece together what exactly Tatsuya's aiming at, but like before, he assumes it's something he's worded really weirdly under strain, so when Tatsuya doesn't look back at him with his iron focus on the road he leans his head to watch the view. It's amazing how every car looks the same on the road, the windows concealing the nature of the drivers - he wonders if there's anyone else alongside them like them. On the first roadtrip of what he hopes will be many. Practising.

"Think it's that exit." Tatsuya says very quietly.

"Oh-- yeah." 

He nods and turns. Taiga fiddles with the furnishings again in a morbid curiosity about if there's any other garbage he'd better tell Alex about before germs eat her car alive. There's a Chinese takeout menu down the side of the door, and when he idly clicks open the glove compartment there's no trash but a wrapped stick of gum and a few pristine, silver packs of condoms out of their box. Taiga squeaks and smacks it shut with a snap, Tatsuya next to him bristling.

"What?" His tone is urgent like he's never heard.

"N-Nothin'!" Taiga yelps, fiercely trying to drown out the vivid images that the sight of them is circulating in his head.

"Jesus…" Tatsuya sighs, and they nearly slow to a stop seemingly randomly, until Taiga recognises the street, the buildings in the area, and Tatsuya swivels the wheel to park them gently out of the way at the side of the road. Around the corner from his block, like Taiga had asked. He manages it in an amateur stop and start and a jolt as they bump against the curb, Taiga's heart still pounding in his chest. He waits for one of them to say something now they're at the goal, having braved the odyssey here that was meant to be a quick spin, but Tatsuya's still white-knuckled clutching the wheel and staring at the dashboard.

Eventually after a few cars pass lazily by Taiga's door he clears his throat, vocal chords jammed between puberty and nervousness, and says, "Engine's still on."

Tatsuya turns the key and the gentle hum of the engine ceases, leaving them in silence.

Not that Taiga ever claims to understand what it is his brother is ever thinking - not for lack of trying to figure it out - but he wonders if he recognises this, his externally calm and quiet mental block. It's not a nice thought to reckon with.

"Are you mad at me, Tatsuya?" 

Tatsuya glances up with an almost fearful expression, then looks away, and back at the wheel. But not at him. 

"Of course not. Does it look like I am?" he says with a cautious smile aimed at nobody in particular.

"I dunno. I yelled and you got stressed out, so I thought…" Taiga kicks under the glove compartment idly, ashamedly.

That seems to be the part he's struggling with, because Tatsuya's mouth turns downwards like he's tasted something sour. 

"Not your fault. It's fine," he suddenly looks much younger than he was pretending -- no,  _ his age _ \-- as he seems to slouch over and grow smaller, but he's reaching to adjust the seat back a touch to fix how cramped his long legs are in the space suited for little Alex, "I just got a fright."

"Sorry... Look, instead of bringing the car back we can call Alex and tell her to--"

" _ No _ ," Tatsuya says firmly, "It's nothing, Taiga. It's fine. I've got the hang of it now."

Tatsuya's holding his gaze now, with what he probably thinks is a calm face yet Taiga knows it's anything but under the surface.

"...Okay. Well--" Taiga nods, "Thanks for the ride. It was pretty cool."

"Really?" Tatsuya's look softens.

"Yeah, for sure! I still can't really believe we made it here, there are just so many things to remember I didn't know about! You're amazing."

Tatsuya cracks a small smile. "' _ Amazing _ 's kinda overdoing it for the way home. Save that for when I  _ really _ take you for a drive."

"It was real though, you really did!"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, man!"

"Then," Tatsuya glances at the sidewalk, quiet save for a bodega's owner smoking out front half a block down, "Next time, I'll… take you somewhere cool. With a view."

Taiga doesn't really understand what something like that has to do with their shared roadtrip dream but he nods, simply glad to see Tatsuya out of his funk. The time flashes on the car's digital display, striking on the hour, and Taiga unclips his seatbelt. "I'll learn too! We'll take turns on trips!"

"Wait, Taiga."

"Yeah?" He stops as he reaches for the door, turns to see Tatsuya leaning over the clutch across their seats. Taiga's breath catches in his throat. "Wh-what is it--"

With a  _ thunk  _ the seatbelt locks and traps Tatsuya into place at his deep angle, inches from Taiga's face. Safety feature. Taiga stares back, red-faced, at Tatsuya's half-lidded eyes and that fearful shadow cast across his face again like he thinks he's fucked up if he’s being  _ looked at _ like this.

"Um--" he pulls back slowly, leaving Taiga with his arm stuck out mid-movement and steely against the door. Behind them, another car accelerates loudly and speeds past. 

"I'd better--" Taiga breathes, his mouth dry.

"Goodnight." Tatsuya exhales.

"Yeah, um." 

He can't bring himself to move, not even when he sees Tatsuya change his mind then lean forward once more and slowly, this time, the seatbelt spooling out gently as he kneels across the gap between their seats and plants a kiss square on Taiga's parted lips. His mouth is soft like Taiga had never anticipated, never thought too much about, and before he can register it properly it’s gone and he’s pulling away, an arm propped against the wheel like a climber suspended within the frame of the car.

"See you later." Tatsuya says, maintaining eye contact like he's trusted him with an important secret.

"S-" Taiga tries to ape him with his trembling mouth, Tatsuya's sense of normality, like this is totally expected and  _ fine _ like Tatsuya always says, like it's no more unusual than saying goodbye, than being dropped off at school, than a normal kiss goodbye, "S-See ya."

"Hey--" Tatsuya remembers quickly, "What startled you earlier?"

"Nothing! Bye!"

Taiga drops out of the car jelly-legged and doesn't look back after slamming the door, not more than once anyway, for fear of-- not being able to turn away again or Tatsuya feeling too self-conscious or criticised to be able to drive off again safely. His sneakers tap safely onto the sidewalk opposite, the side his apartment is on, and after a few paces to be sure he's clear of traffic, he looks around.

Alex's car is disappearing back around the corner. 

He can't see the driver through the small back window, like it was a dream.


End file.
